My Holidays in Wales

My holidays in Wales

“As a child the excitement building up to our holiday in Pembrokeshire was unbelievable. Knowing that we would soon be there crab lining from Solva harbour, swimming in the sea on Newgale beach or visiting attractions such as Oakwood park and Folly Farm, almost made the time stand still. As we got older our activities changed to include Surfing on Whitesands and coasteering around Porthclais and Abereiddu. Of course there was plenty for the adults to do as well, from eating local seafood and delights at the local restaurants and pub to relaxing and wandering around St David’s Cathedral and the local second hand book shops. The Pembrokeshire coastal path was also a firm family favourite and we would happily spend all day walking from place to place, stopping off for lunch on the way at places like the Sloop Inn  in Porthgain, and the Royal George and the Ship Inn in Solva. These days I take my own family to the same magical area, and I still get excited at the prospect."

Phillip Roberts, Abercynon

"The Gower peninsula was Britain’s first area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is located less than an hours drive from Cardiff and on Swansea’s doorstep For beach lovers it has everything, tiny little bays, picturesque villages and a vast award-winning coastline, a haven for both nature lovers and the surf scene. Within Gower's coastline lies no less than twenty beaches, ranging from stunning vistas of sand such as Oxwich Bay, Rhossili Bay and Whiteford Sands, which stretch for almost as far as the eye can see, to secluded coves, 'secreted' away amongst Gower's fascinating limestone cliffs.

One of my own favourites is Oxwich Bay, with had 2 mile beach, a local village, an old historic castle and camping sites all served  by the Oxwich Bay Hotel, which has a great range of food, drink and the occasional Welsh rugby star nearby!  A trip to Rhossili is also a must see, the huge sprawling beach is unspoilt and spectacular and is at the western end of the Gower and if you ever got bored of the beaches then pop inland to the village of Reynoldston and the King Arthur Hotel for great views and something to eat and drink."

James Emery, Groesfaen

"For a number of years I have been delighted to spend my holidays in and around some of the most scenic areas of Great Britain, staying in various areas of West Wales. This year we were delighted with our  cottage in Amroth this was neat and compact but gave us all the essential home comforts but combined this with stunning scenery and outstanding walks. The cottage was situated about 200 yards from the glorious beach at Amroth. The beach itself was beautiful and the weather we experienced allowed us to enjoy swimming in the sea.

The cottage was easily within driving distance of some outstanding scenic beauty and we visited Fishguard, the scene of the last invasion of Britain and we were fascinated by the history of the event. We enjoyed the views from Goodwick, looking out over the Irish sea. We also visited the historic town of Pembroke and enjoyed our tour of the castle that stands guarding the town. A great favourite of ours is Newport and the boats and the beach gave us another memorable day. I must remember to look for a cottage in Newport in the future.

The Preseli Hills are a magical place to visit, the area has its own calendar and the stories from these mountains really are so special. The welcome down west is as magical as the scenery and long may we enjoy our visits to this very special area."

Gerald Thomas, Nelson

"I thoroughly enjoyed my recent stay at Abercastle. There are a number of local walks around the area, We took the breathtaking coastal walk from Abercastle to Porthgain, where we saw some of the best views Wales has to offer, and our reward at the end was a traditional homemade pub lunch and a pint in the famous Sloop pub in Porthgain.  I also recommend visiting the Farmers Arms, in the nearby village of Mathry, where we received a fantastic welcome. The beautiful city of St David's is also only a 10 minute drive away.

With a keen interest in walking, fishing, and water sports, I am a regular visitor to Pembrokeshire, but this was the first time I had chosen to stay in a cottage, but after a superb holiday I will certainly be going back again!"

Rhodri Davies, Cardiff

"We thoroughly enjoyed our cottage holiday this year in West Wales. The weather has been fantastic and we can highly recommend ice creams at Llangrannog beach, canoe trips from The Nature reserve near Cardigan and  the ‘melt in your mouth’ seafood from the Hive Cafe in Aberaeron. The highlight of our week was seeing the Dolphins and Seals off Cardigan Island. Our two boys were asking us when we can go again on the trip home!!"

Jo & Ed Deegan, Liverpool.

"Wales is my favourite holiday destination.  Last summer we booked a holiday cottage in Llancarfan in the Vale of Glamorgan. This area is beautiful, and  I love visiting the nearby towns and villages like Llantwit Major and  Ogmore, and the beach at Southerndown is fantastic and perfect for the children. The region brings with it a combination of peace and tranquillity with an abundance of natural beauty. The area has some incredible beaches with magnificent coastlines, exceptionally friendly people and superb little villages many of which have their very own pubs such as  the fabulous Fox and Hounds in Llancarfan and the Blue Anchor in East Aberthaw. The Vale really does offer everything that you would ever need for a wonderful holiday and as half term approaches this is where I aim to sit back, relax and  enjoy."

Tracey Williams  -  Walsall

"I thoroughly enjoy walking holidays, and the Brecon Beacons is one of my favourite regions. One of my favourite walks is the walk up Pen y Fan. This is the highest peak in Southern Britain and the mountain is close to the historical towns of Brecon and Merthyr. From the top of Pen y Fan you have a fabulous view of the town of Brecon , tucked away at the foot of the mountains. Brecon has its own cathedral as well as two museums. It is the largest town within the National Park and it makes for a great base for exploring the National Park. For walkers the AA publish a fine book entitled 50 walks in the Brecon Beacons and South Wales."

John Haddon  - Croydon

"Thinking of returning to the beauty of the beaches of Pembrokeshire is what gets me through the daily grind. Paradise is spending the day on Barafundle, swimming in the sea, letting the sun dry you off, walking over the cliffs to Broadhaven South and doing the same there before relaxing in the garden of the Stackpole Inn watching the sun set on an idyllic day/or visiting Marloes at low tide and walking from one end to the other - summer or winter/or walking from St Nons to Caefai Bay (St Davids'"city beach"!)running into the beautiful clear water, swimming frantically until your body temperature reaches that of the sea and then floating on your back letting the sun's warmth seduce you. Just the thought of returning keeps me sane for the rest of the year."

David from the Wirral